Tax
Retirement Planning Tools
Retirement Planning Tools Here’s an interesting tidbit from the investment industry: In 2014, Merrill Lynch hired a gerontologist on staff – the first financial gerontologist of all time.1 Why? Because their financial advisors needed to learn how to plan for older people who are living longer than ever. The problems associated with this new era of…
Read MoreIRA Refresher
IRA Refresher In 2019, the IRS increased the limit on annual individual retirement account contributions to $6,000 from $5,500. The catch-up contribution for people ages 50 and up remained the same at $1,000.1 If you’re thinking about investing in an IRA or increasing your contribution, here’s some information to help you make your decision. A traditional…
Read MoreTax Tips: Look ahead while looking back at 2018
Tax Tips: Look ahead while looking back at 2018 If you didn’t adjust your tax withholding in early 2018, you might be in for a surprise when completing your tax return this year. A lot of people opted for the “wait-and-see” approach to determine if the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act would impact their return.…
Read MoreWhere U.S. Economics Stand Globally
Where U.S. Economics Stand Globally From the beginning, President Donald Trump’s economic policies have intended to put “America first.” Since the ultimate goal of such policies is to strengthen America’s economic growth, solve for domestic issues and make the nation more secure, it’s worth a review of how well policy changes are working toward those…
Read MoreHealth Care Roundup
Health Care Roundup By now, most of us know to check with our health insurance company to make sure our physician or specialist referral is covered by our health care plan and within the covered network. But what if you’re unconscious or in some other medical emergency? Say, for instance, you need to be airlifted…
Read More2018 Tax News
2018 Tax News The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 reduced federal income tax liability for some, but not all, Americans. Wealthy residents of California, New York and other high-tax states could face a higher tax bill when they file their 2018 return.1 While cutting tax rates on ordinary income, increasing the standard deduction…
Read MoreTrade Agreement Updates
Trade Agreement Updates In the new U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which would replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), among gains for the United States is a new provision negotiated with Mexico related to auto products. Under the new terms, to qualify for tariff-free sales, 75 percent of automobile materials must be produced in the…
Read MoreThe New Space Race
The New Space Race Space: The final frontier. Or is it? The U.S. is again taking a serious look at space exploration, but there are many factors to consider. President Trump last summer called for the Department of Defense to move space operations to a sixth military branch, though funding such an effort would…
Read MoreInterest Rate Watch
Interest Rate Watch In late September, the Federal Reserve raised its key short-term interest rate to 2.25 percent from 2.0 percent, in its third increase of the year.1 The good news is that higher rates offer the potential for higher returns on CDs, bank savings and other fixed-rated accounts that have been languishing…
Read MoreReal Estate Update
Real Estate Update What a difference a decade makes. After the real estate debacle of the Great Recession, home prices are now near record highs in many markets with mortgage default and foreclosure rates at near record lows, according to the National Association of Realtors, or NAR.1 However, Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist, says some…
Read More